Development of growth rate, body lipid, moisture, and energy models for white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) fed at various feeding rates.

The objectives were to develop and evaluate: 1) growth rate models, 2) body lipid, moisture, and energy models for white sturgeon fed at various feeding rates (FR; % body weight [BW] per day) and then evaluate responses at proportions of optimum feeding rate (OFR) across increasing BW (g). For objective 1, 19 datasets from the literature containing initial BW, FR and specific growth rate (SGR; % BW increase per day) were used. For objective 2, 12 datasets from the literature (11 from objective 1) containing SGR, FR, final BW, body lipid (%), protein (%), ash (%), moisture (%), and energy (kJ/g) were used. The average rearing temperatures was 19.2 ± 1.5 °C (mean ± SD). The average nutrient compositions and gross energy of the diets were 45.7 ± 4.3% protein, 14.8 ± 3.2% lipid, and 20.4 ± 1.3 kJ/g, respectively. The logistic model was used for objectives 1 and 2 to develop a statistical relationship between SGR and FR, then an iterative technique was used to estimate OFR for each dataset. For objective 2, the statistical relationship between body lipid, energy, and moisture and FR was established. Using the OFR estimate, SGR, body lipid, energy and moisture were computed at various FR as a proportion of OFR. Finally, a nonparametric fitting procedure was used to establish relationships between SGR, body lipid, energy and moisture (responses) compared with BW (predictor) at various proportions of OFR. This allows visualization of the effect of under- or over-feeding on the various responses. When examining the differences between OFR at 100% and various proportions of OFR, SGR differences decrease and moisture differences increase as BW increases. Lipid and energy differences decrease as BW increases. To our knowledge, these are the first description of changes in nutrient compositions when white sturgeon are fed at various FR. Because physiological and behavioral properties that are unique to sturgeon, results from this study are specific to sturgeon under the conditions of this study and cannot be compared directly with salmonids even if some of the results are similar. This research provides insight to designing future nutritional studies in sturgeon

A Pricing-Based Cooperative Spectrum Sharing Stackelberg Game

We consider the problem of cooperative spectrum sharing among a primary user (PU) and multiple secondary users (SUs) under quality of service (QoS) constraints. The SUs network is controlled by the PU through a relay which gets a revenue for amplifying and forwarding the SUs signals to their respective destinations. The relay charges each SU a different price depending on its received signal-to-interference and-noise ratio (SINR). The relay can control the SUs network and maximize any desired PU utility function. The PU utility function represents its rate, which is affected by the SUs access, and its gained revenue to allow the access of the SUs. The SU network can be formulated as a game in which each SU wants to maximize its utility function; the problem is formulated as a Stackelberg game. Finally, the problem of maximizing the primary utility function is solved through three different approaches, namely, the optimal, the heuristic and the suboptimal algorithms.Comment: 7 pages. IEEE, WiOpt 201

The geographic, environmental and phylogenetic evolution of the Alveolinoidea from the Cretaceous to the present day

The superfamily Alveolinoidea is a member of the Order Miliolida, and comprises three main families, the Alveolinidae, the Fabulariidae and the Rhapydioninidae. They are examples of Larger benthic foraminifera (LBF), which are single-celled organisms with specific characteristic endoskeletons. Alveolinoids are found globally from the Cretaceous to the present day, and are important biostratigraphic index fossils in shallow-marine carbonates. They are often associated with hydrocarbon reservoirs, and exhibit provincialism with characteristic genera often confined to one of the American, Tethyan or Indo-Pacific provinces. Previously, the systematic study of the global interrelationship between the various alveolinoid lineages has not been possible because of the absence of biostratigraphic correlation between the geographically scattered assemblages, and the scarcity of described material from the Indo-Pacific province. Here we use the literature and new material from the Americas, the French Alps, Iran, Tibet, India and South East Asia, coupled with the use of the planktonic foraminiferal zonal (PZ) correlation scheme to propose a comprehensive, global, systematic analysis of the biostratigraphic, phylogenetic and paleogeographic evolution of the alveolinoids. The alveolinoids originated in the Cretaceous in the Tethyan province. During a global sea-level low stand, a westward migration of some alveolinoids species to the Americas occurred, a behaviour previously reported in contemporaneous orbitolinid LBF. After the Cretaceous/Palaeogene (K–P) event, which saw the extinction of all Cretaceous alveolinoids, rare new forms of alveolinoids evolved again, first in the Americas and later independently in Tethys. As was found in previous studies of rotalid LBF, sea-level low stands in the Paleocene also allowed some alveolinoid forms to migrate, but this time in an eastward direction from the Americas to Tethys, and from Tethys on to the Indo-Pacific province. Alveolinoids still exist today (Borelis and Alveolinella), the former of which is cosmopolitan, while the latter is restricted to the Indo-Pacific province. Throughout their phylogenetic history, alveolinoids characteristically exhibit convergent evolution, with the repeated re-occurrence of certain morphological features. Understanding this propensity to homoplasy is essential in understanding and constructing the phylogenetic relationships within the alveolinoid superfamily

Beta-fibrinogen (-455 G/A) and Integrin beta-3 (PLA1/A2) polymorphisms and recurrent pregnancy loss in Gaza strip-Palestine

Background: This study was conducted in order to determine the relationship between the common polymorphisms in β-fibrinogen-455 G/A (rs1800790) and Integrin beta-3 T196C (PLA1/A2, rs5918) and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) in a group of Palestinian women residing in Gaza strip. Methods: The study presented here is a retrospective association study with a case-control design. The study population consisted of 102 women who suffered from RPL and 97 healthy women matched for age and without a previous history of RPL. DNA extracted from blood samples of all subjects was investigated for the β-fibrinogen (-455 G> A) and Integrin beta-3 (PLA1/A2) polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP and PCR-SSP, respectively. Results: The study revealed that β–fibrinogen-455G/A minor allele frequency (allele A) and its homozygous genotype (AA) were not significantly different between the RPL and the control groups. Likewise, there was no significant difference in the distribution of the ITGB-3 variant allele (PLA2) or PLA2/A2 genotype between the two groups. β–fibrinogen AA genotype was evident in 3.9% of the patients and in 4.1% of the controls (P-value= 0.94). The frequency of PLA2/A2 was observed in 2.0% of the patients and in 2.1% of the controls (P-value= 0.96). Conclusion: Results of the present study indicate that there is no significant association between the β–fibrinoge

Beta-fibrinogen (-455 G/A) and Integrin beta-3 (PLA1/A2) polymorphisms and recurrent pregnancy loss in Gaza strip-Palestine

Background: This study was conducted in order to determine the relationship between the common polymorphisms in β-fibrinogen -455 G/A (rs1800790) and Integrin beta-3 T196C (PLA1/A2, rs5918) and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) in a group of Palestinian women residing in Gaza strip.Methods: The study presented here is a retrospective association study with a case-control design. The study population consisted of 102 women who suffered from RPL and 97 healthy women matched for age and without a previous history of RPL. DNA extracted from blood samples of all subjects was investigated for the β-fibrinogen (-455 G>A) and Integrin beta-3 (PLA1/A2) polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP and PCR-SSP, respectively.Results: The study revealed that β–fibrinogen -455G/A minor allele frequency (allele A) and its homozygous genotype (AA) were not significantly different between the RPL and the control groups. Likewise, there was no significant difference in the distribution of the ITGB-3 variant allele (PLA2) or PLA2/A2 genotype between the two groups. β–fibrinogen AA genotype was evident in 3.9% of the patients and in 4.1% of the controls (P-value = 0.94). The frequency of PLA2/A2 was observed in 2.0% of the patients and in 2.1% of the controls (P-value = 0.96).Conclusion: Results of the present study indicate that there is no significant association between the β–fibrinogen (455 G>A) or Integrin beta-3 (PLA1/A2) common polymorphisms and the occurrence of RPL in Gaza strip. This non-significant relation indicates that the investigated polymorphisms do not constitute a tangible risk for RPL in our population. Therefore, it is not recommended to consider these two polymorphisms when screening for inherited thrombophilia in Gaza strip

THE CALLOVIAN UNCONFORMITY AND THE OPHIOLITE OBDUCTION ONTO THE PELAGONIAN CARBONATE PLATFORM OF THE INTERNAL HELLENIDES

The carbonate-platform-complex and the oceanic formations of the central Pelagonian zone of the Hellenides evolved in response to a sequence of plate tectonic episodes of ocean spreading, plate convergence and ophiolite obduction. The biostratigraphies of the carbonate platform and the oceanic successions, show that the Triassic-Early Jurassic platform was coeval with an ocean where pillow basalts and radiolarian cherts were being deposited. After convergence began during late Early- Jurassic - Middle Jurassic time, the oceanic leading edge of the Pelagonian plate was subducted beneath the leading edge of the oceanic, overriding plate. The platform subsided while a supra-subduction, volcanic-island-arc evolved. Biostratigraphic and geochemical evidence shows that the platform and the oceanic floor, temporarily became subaerially exposed during Callovian time. This “Callovian event” is suggested to have taken place as oceanic lithosphere first made compressional, tectonic contact with the carbonate platform, initiating a basal detachment fault, along which the platform was thrust upwards. The central Pelagonian zone became an extensive land area that was supplied with laterite from an ophiolite highland. A similar emergence of Vardar ophiolite most likely took place in the Guevgueli area. The Callovian emergence shows that the initial ophiolite obduction onto the platform took place about 25 million years before the final emplacement of the ophiolite during Valanginian time

Brief mindfulness training enhances cognitive control in socioemotional contexts: Behavioral and neural evidence.

In social contexts, the dynamic nature of others' emotions places unique demands on attention and emotion regulation. Mindfulness, characterized by heightened and receptive moment-to-moment attending, may be well-suited to meet these demands. In particular, mindfulness may support more effective cognitive control in social situations via efficient deployment of top-down attention. To test this, a randomized controlled study examined effects of mindfulness training (MT) on behavioral and neural (event-related potentials [ERPs]) responses during an emotional go/no-go task that tested cognitive control in the context of emotional facial expressions that tend to elicit approach or avoidance behavior. Participants (N = 66) were randomly assigned to four brief (20 min) MT sessions or to structurally equivalent book learning control sessions. Relative to the control group, MT led to improved discrimination of facial expressions, as indexed by d-prime, as well as more efficient cognitive control, as indexed by response time and accuracy, and particularly for those evidencing poorer discrimination and cognitive control at baseline. MT also produced better conflict monitoring of behavioral goal-prepotent response tendencies, as indexed by larger No-Go N200 ERP amplitudes, and particularly so for those with smaller No-Go amplitude at baseline. Overall, findings are consistent with MT's potential to enhance deployment of early top-down attention to better meet the unique cognitive and emotional demands of socioemotional contexts, particularly for those with greater opportunity for change. Findings also suggest that early top-down attention deployment could be a cognitive mechanism correspondent to the present-oriented attention commonly used to explain regulatory benefits of mindfulness more broadly

Foraminiferal biostratigraphy and palaeoenvironmental analysis of the mid-Cretaceous limestones in the southern Tibetan plateau

This study of mid-Cretaceous foraminifera from the Linzhou, the Coqen and the Xigaze Basins in the southern Tibetan Plateau has provided the first high resolution biostratigraphic description of these limestones and interpretation of their paleoenvironmental settings. The fossil assemblages are dominated primarily by orbitolinid larger benthic foraminifera. We reassessed the identification of many taxa, dividing the South Tibetan sedimentary successions of Aptian to Early Cenomanian age into eight new foraminiferal biozones (TLK1 a–h): (i) (TLK1a) a shallow reefal environment corresponding to planktonic foraminifera zone (PZ) Aptian 1–2, dominated by Palorbitolina and Praeorbitolina spp.; (ii) (TLK1b) a transgressive, reefal to forereefal environment corresponding to PZ Aptian 3, characterized by the first appearance of Mesorbitolina parva; (iii) (TLK1c) a shallow reefal to backreef environment of Late Aptian (PZ Aptian 4) age, characterized by the first appearance of Mesorbitolina texana; (iv) (TLK1d) a transgressive phase of forereef to an inner neritic environment of Albian (PZ Albian 1) age, characterized by the first appearance of Cuneolina pavonia; (v) (TLKe) an open-marine reefal environment of Albian (PZ Albian 2) age, with assemblages dominated by flat to slightly conical orbitolinids, characterized by the first appearance of Palorbitolinoides hedini; (vi) (TLK1f) a shallow, open-marine reefal to forereef environment of Middle Albian (PZ Albian 3) age, dominated by flat and convex orbitolinids, and characterized by the first appearance of Mesorbitolina aperta; (vii) (TLK1g) a reefal to forereef environment of end Albian (PZ Albian 4) age, characterized by the appearance of Conicorbitolina cf. cuvillieri and Pseudochoffatella cuvillieri, and in which Early Aptian species of Praeorbitolina cf. wienandsi have been recorded for the first time from the Late Albian; (viii) (TLK1h) a shallow reefal environment of Early Cenomanian age characterized by the first appearance of Conicorbitolina sp. A and Nezzazata conica. The eight new biozones provided biostratigraphic correlation of the Langshan, Sangzugang and Takena Formations in the Lhasa terrane, while the observed evolution of the environmentally controlled microfacies corresponds closely with the current, inferred global sea-level variation of the period. The almost continuous sedimentary sequences studied allowed previously defined orbitolinid phylogenetic linages to be confirmed